Polarized Light Emission from Micro-Pixel Displays and Methods of Fabrication Thereof

Abstract

A method and apparatus for achieving selective polarization states of emitted visible or other light in a stacked multicolor emissive display device by utilizing nonpolar, semipolar or strained c-plane crystallographic planes of semiconductor materials for light emitting structures within an electronic emissive display device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multicolor electronic emissive display device comprising:
 a plurality of semiconductor layers, each stacked one upon the other;   each layer configured for emitting a different color of light and comprising a two dimensional array of light emitting structures; and;   wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a nonpolar or semipolar III nitride material system having an epitaxial growth direction along a polar or semipolar plane whereby polarized light is emitted from the light emitting structures.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is bonded to and electrically coupled to a silicon-based semiconductor complementary metal oxide (Si-CMOS) structure that is configured to independently control the on-off state of the plurality of the light emitting structures. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using a (100) LiAlO 2  substrate material. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using an r-plane Al 2 O 3  substrate material. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using an m-plane Al 2 O 3  substrate material. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using hexagonal polymorphs of a SiC substrate material. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using a spinel ((100), (110), MgAl 2 O 4 ) plane substrate material. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using a (001) Si substrate material comprising a miscut. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using a (001) Si substrate material comprising a miscut of seven (7) degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a semiconductor material grown in a nonpolar or semipolar orientation using a bulk m-plane, a-plane or a semipolar plane of GaN substrate material. 
     
     
         11 . A multicolor electronic emissive display device comprising:
 a plurality of semiconductor layers, each stacked one upon the other;   each layer configured for emitting a different color of light and each layer comprising a two dimensional array of light emitting pixel structures; and;   wherein at least one of the layers is fabricated from a non-c-plane orientation III nitride material system grown on a substrate comprising one or more faceted sidewalls of lateral epitaxial overgrowth of c-plane GaN whereby a polarized light is emitted from the light emitting structure from an induced optical polarization anisotropy in the emitted light.